


Victory

by AzzureThunder



Series: A Softer World [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: A softer world - Freeform, Fluff, Gen, Liam is depressed, SO MUCH FLUFF, louis is band mom, was suppose to be funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 16:11:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1272799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzzureThunder/pseuds/AzzureThunder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you are feeling low, I will be there to feel you up</p>
            </blockquote>





	Victory

They all had bad days. Hours upon days upon months on tour and being constantly in the spotlight tended to lean more towards bad days than good, especially near the end. Sometimes the words and the pressure just gets to them, and sometimes they hide it, sometimes they ignore it, and sometimes they let the other guys help them.

It was near the end of their American part of the tour during Take Me Home, when Liam had one of those days. Liam having a horrible self-hate day weren’t very common and the boys usually let him take care of it on his own, not quite sure how to comfort and piece together their rock once he crumbles apart.

But this was different than the episodes before, it lasted for a few days, and the brunette just seemed to be spiraling downward, retreating into himself and pushing the others away. He’d stay in the hotel, or try and ride on a different bus, always wanting the single room. After a week it seemed like they had lost all their progress on getting Liam to open up, be comfortable with them. 

And it hurt.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Louis wouldn’t stand by watching Liam fold in on himself and give up on himself; it hurt too much to watch him in the mornings, when he thinks he’s alone. Standing in front of the mirror, or just curled on the couch, mutter such hateful things about himself, hands fisted so tightly he more than once split the skin of his palms with his nails. 

The Doncaster lad knew the younger boy didn’t have much self esteem, but it was making him physically hurt to watch him, and the rest of the boys were looking to him to fix it, he was the oldest, the ‘mother hen’ of the group to Liam’s ‘daddy’.

It was late, just after a show and Louis had convinced Niall to get the single room first, leaving him paired up with Liam, who scowled and glared the entire elevator ride up, obviously upset at the thought of sharing a room after so long. 

It was the first time in three weeks that Liam wouldn’t be alone for the night, and that thought alone made Louis flinch, just wondering how long it took the younger boy to sleep, to caught up in his flaws and the hateful comments on the internet. 

In the bedroom Louis corners him, not wanting to waste any time to try and fix whatever it was that stole their band mate, their best friend from them. 

“Liam. Leemo. C’mon mate just tell me what’s been bugging you these past weeks. It’s got all of us twisted up with worry. We don’t know how to help you.”  
“Maybe I don’t want you to help me! Maybe I just want time by myself that isn’t filled with all of you crazy twats having to touch all the time!” Liam scolds, but no real heat was behind those words, the same angry outburst he always had. 

Louis nodded and tilted his head, “If this is just another tiff about Band Cuddles, then why not just say anything?” he asks carefully drinking in the other’s body language, hunched and tight, ready to flee at a moment’s notice. He looked scared, and if Louis dared, he would think that this must be what the younger boy looked like when standing up to his schoolyard bullies. 

A wave of cold dread settles in the smaller boy’s stomach, who was he to put this look on Liam’s face? Was that really what Liam thought about him? About the boys? “Li . . . You know whatever your feeling down about, we wouldn’t tease you or make it worse, right? We’re here for you.” 

Sucking his lip between his teeth, he waited, waited and watched Liam hang his head guilty and defeated, watched as he shuffled nervously and bit at his lips, his eyes shining. “I- . . . I didn’t want to risk it . . . The fans they--” He stopped shaking his head, and rubbed his arm, shoulders at his ears. “It’s nothing.”

“Oh Li . . .” Louis sighs, it hurt, like a knife to the stomach or a swift kick to the crotch, but he pushed it down and crossed the abyss of two steps between them, wrapping his arms tight around the younger boy’s shoulders. “What has the internet been saying this time?”

He asks with no malice, no annoyance in his voice, just plain concern and curiosity. Liam shakes his head, leaning into the smaller male, hands fisted tight into stripes of his shirt, face burying into his neck. “Nothing . . . Just the same. The truth. I’m stupid to think that they would think different.” He replies softly.

Louis instantly shushes him and moves them to his bed, sitting down with a huff and pulling the taller male down, until his head rested in Louis lap. “Rubbish all of it Leemo. You aren’t boring, your careful. And we need that. You are just as attractive as the rest of us, maybe more with those muscles . . . Besides Zayn of course.” He smirks with the soft, watery, chuckle he pulls from the boy on top of him. 

“I will show you anyway I can that you are just as good as we are. You getting self conscious about your face? I’ll kiss it and poke it until you smile again, letting your whole face light up like sunshine. You worried about not going out with us? I’ll stay in some more; have a nice cuddle watching super heroes. They lads will be so jealous.” 

He goes through everyone of Liam’s insecurities, promising to cuddle and love away each and every one, until Liam thought himself as perfect as he did. As the Band did. He kept going even after Liam burst into tears, wiping them away and pulling the broader male to his chest as he laid down, holding him close. He kept going even after Liam fell asleep, softly running his fingers through the soft brown locks. He meant every word.


End file.
